Does the Boise State Victory Over Virginia Tech Prove It Is BCS Title Worthy?

Boise State rallied behind the two-minute drill of quarterback Kellen Moore to defeat Virginia Tech 33-30 Monday night at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.

The teams had not even left the field when debate erupted around the country on Twitter, message boards, and talk shows.

Does the Broncos comeback victory earned them the right to go to the BCS National Championship Game should they finish undefeated?

For many, the answer is a resounding "Yes." Boise State defeated a top ten team in what was practically a road game. How can you deny them?

Others however countered by asking how a team with such a weak schedule overall could earn a spot in the title game over other programs playing much more difficult schedules.

So, does an undefeated Boise State team deserve to play for the national championship?

It depends.

Before we get too excited about BSU's win tonight, let's honestly evaluate what happened.

They defeated a team that, in my opinion, is the third or fourth best team in the ACC.

Florida State, Miami, and an unsuspended North Carolina team are better than this Hokie squad—a team boasting no player with more than two starts on defense.

Also, need I mention that the ACC is widely regarded as the FIFTH best conference in the country?

The SEC, Big Ten, Pac-10, Big 12 and possibly the Mountain West have clearly been better conferences than the ACC in the past few seasons.

Just because the Broncos defeat a BCS-conference team by three points—a team that will end up playing in the Sun Bowl or Meineke Car Care Bowl, does not mean it is national championship worthy.

Much is made of Boise State playing Virginia Tech and Oregon State because they are from so-called major conferences.

But is that such a big deal if the Hokies finish fourth in the ACC and the Beavers finish fourth or fifth in the Pac-10, as they are expected to do?

The win over Virginia Tech is significant, but it has not proved anything....yet.

Let's say Va Tech goes out and wins the ACC and/or the Beavers finish in the top two of the Pac-10. Then those non-conference games look much better. 

While the Bronco schedule does not resemble a murderer's row of opponents, there are some interesting barometer games on it.

Wyoming will face Texas one week before BSU takes them on.

San Jose State was dominated by Alabama playing without its Heisman Trophy-winning running back, Mark Ingram. If Boise struggles with the Spartans, that has to be taken into account by the voters.

Those of you in Idaho who argue that that is not fair, you used that argument in your favor last year against Oregon.

Other games of interest on the Boise schedule are a Hawaii team that hung with USC—imagine how that win looks if USC wins the Pac-10? A Fresno State team that just defeated a Big East title contender in Cincinnati  and a Utah State team that took Oklahoma down to the wire. 

Without a system where everybody plays everybody, these common opponents need to be taken into consideration.

Which brings me to a key point in Boise State's favor.

While it gets knocked for not playing a tough schedule, it can only play teams that agree to play them. BSU can call USC, Alabama, Florida, and Texas to play every year but those games will never happen unless they sign on dotted line.

Why should the so-called elite programs be rewarded if they refuse to play BSU?

The problem for BSU is each of the programs I just named are playing difficult schedules.

With the exception of USC since it is on probation, why should BSU go to the national title game if, say, they're undefeated and a Texas, Oklahoma, or an Ohio State are also undefeated?

If records are equal, the team with the more difficult schedule deserves the right to go. That is why Tommy Tuberville and Auburn got to watch Oklahoma and USC in 2004.

I have no problem with an undefeated Boise St. going to the title game if they are one of two undefeated teams. Should any of these other major programs slip up however, the Broncos should be rewarded and the other programs punished for refusing to play them.

Until then however, a September win over Virginia Tech does not guarantee you a shot at the championship.

My thoughts on college football, sports in general, and other random topics can be followed on Twitter at @plh55.